6 Things You Can Do To Become A Better Cat Parent

Phillip Mlynar

January 18, 2018

Cats are gloriously self-sufficient creatures, right? Left to their own devices, the grand felines of the world will happily snooze for most of the day and spend the rest of their time amusing themselves by gazing at birds and squirrels outside the window. This means that you might consider them to be low maintenance pets — but that doesn’t give you an excuse to get complacent. Here’s a checklist of things to do right now to make yourself a better cat parent.

1. Give The Gift Of Time

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We live in a fast-paced world that can become even more hectic when you factor in endless social media updates. But it’s important to take a step back from whatever your current deadline is and spend some unadulterated time with your cat, whether petting, playing or grooming them.

Think about it this way: With cat years going by at a quicker rate than human years, even just a couple of minutes with your cat before you leave for work in the morning can be like a solid 15 minute play session in the kitty’s world.

2. Repurpose Packaging

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Cats are magnetically attracted to cardboard and paper — so you have a moral duty to always have at least one cardboard box on the floor for your feline to hang out in. Get in the habit of always tossing some of the packaging over to your cat every time you receive a new Amazon Prime delivery that you ordered out of boredom.

3. Variety Is The Spice Of A Cat’s Life

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Yes, cats can be finicky beasts who shun expensive toys and presents in favor of playing with the packaging. But it’s still important to make sure your feline’s daily world has enough variety in it. Rotating toys is an easy way to do so. Moving around cat furniture ever few months can also keep their environment perky.

4. Talk It Up

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Okay, we all know that speaking cat is beyond the abilities of most humans — but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t talk to your cat on a regular basis. It’s all about keeping her engaged and entertained.

5. Keep On Top Of Vet Visits

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Sure, your cat doesn’t actually enjoy going to the vet (or having a home visit), but make sure to stay on top of your yearly wellness checkups. When your cat seems healthy it’s easy to consider skipping a visit — but you owe it to your feline to have an expert check her out and pick up any potential health issues early.

6. Scoop That Poop

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It’s not an enjoyable job, but make sure your cat’s litter box is as spotless as possible. It only takes a few seconds to scoop up those nuggets. After all, would you want to use a toilet that still contained someone else’s festering poop? Of course not and neither does your cat.